The Sacrifice
by Forever Far Away
Summary: A young woman does something Bane does not understand. Summary is crap. Story reads much better.


Bane checked his watch once more as he and his men waited in the back alleyway behind the bank. He flicked his eyes to the entrance once more, growing impatient.

 _She should be here by now..._

And then she was there, blonde hair swaying with her quick steps, incessant hands pushing down a tight skirt. Yes, Ava Martin was the perfect person to make an example of. Her father, an important business man upholding more wealth than he has earned, would finally get the message after his little girl had been defiled and killed on tape, leaked into the media. Sometimes, it was the big, brash message that made the tipping point.

Bane snapped his fingers and began to walk, his men behind him. In one languid move, he pushed the doors open with a resounding _bang_. His mask hissed. "Grab her."

The work staff and clients were all huddled on the ground in fear as two of his men grabbed Ava by the arms and dragged her up. She screamed in terror.

"No! Oh no, please! I'll do anything! PLEASE!" she pleaded desperately.

"W-wait," a small voice pleaded, barely catching Bane's attention. "Please, wait..." the voice said louder. Bane turned to see a slight waif of a young woman stand hesitantly. "T-take me instead."

Bane's eyebrows shot up. "I beg your pardon?" his mechanical voice droned.

"Please, take me instead. She has done nothing wrong. She has a family..."

"Precisely why we are taking her," he cut her off.

"Please, I have nothing. No one. Take me instead, I beg you," she said slightly louder now, staring at the ground.

"Do you know this woman?" he asked sharply, gesturing to the struggling Ava.

"No, I do not. Not personally. I know who her father is, but that is it."

"Are you trying to be a martyr for your cause?"

"I have no cause. I only wish to save a life worth more than mine," she said evenly.

"Come to me, girl," he ordered. She hesitantly took the few steps over to him, and he tipped her chin up with his forefinger, forcing him to look him in the eye. "You would accept everything we would do to her? You would _die_ for her?" he asked softly.

"Y-yes," she replied in a wavering voice. "I will."

Bane stared at her once more, noting nothing but absolute truth in her eyes. "So be it. Release Miss Martin. Come with us, Miss..."

"Anna," she whispered. "Just Anna."

"Come along then, Miss Anna," Bane said, nodding his head. His men released Ava, practically shoving her into Anna. She caught the young woman's hand, a look of extreme debt and gratitude on her tear-stained face. Anna nodded solemnly and made to follow the giant with timid steps, following them to the back alley. Never once did she think about trying to escape.

It would be pointless.

All the men were on their motorcycles with the exception of their leader. He beckoned to Anna with his finger, stepping away from the bike. "Up you go, little one," he said gently. She looked at him forlornly before swinging her leg over and settling onto the seat. She shook in fear as the giant mounted behind her, jumping when his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her gently back into his chest. "Easy now, little one," he said softly, removing his arm to grasp the handles of the bike.

She sank against him when the engines roared to life and the bikes began speeding down the roads. He glanced down at the top of her head, thoughts racing through his mind. Why would she give her life for someone she didn't know? He supposed he could use her to send his message...

They arrived at their current location quicker than he anticipated. As the bike slowed to a stop, he could feel his captive's body shaking in absolute terror, heard the small sob that escaped her lips. He got off the bike and held his hand out. The girl took it hesitantly and he helped her down. He led her into the building into which his men had disappeared. She hesitated slightly at the door.

"Rethinking your actions, little one?" he asked, giving her a gentle nudge.

"Of course. But I have no choice. This is my path," she replied softly.

"You didn't have to volunteer yourself," he pointed out.

"I couldn't stand by and let someone with so much ahead of them die," she said simply.

"And what of your life? Your future?"

"I have nothing. No friends, no family, not even any pets. I'm barely scraping by as it is. No one will miss me. Nothing was to become of my future anyways. I'd have died in the streets soon. At least now, maybe, I will have died for someone."

"How noble of you." And it wasn't mocking. He found that somehow, he meant the words he said.

"What will you do to me?" she asked finally, leaning heavily against the doorframe when he released her hand.

"Exactly what I had planned for Miss Martin."

"Which is?" she choked out.

"Defiled by my men, and killed," he replied swiftly. "Everything will be taped and leaked into the television news."

She let out a choked sob. "O-okay," she whimpered, wrapping her arms around her. "Okay. How many men?"

He stared at her fear-stricken face for a moment before it dawned on him. "You're untouched."

"You mean a virgin? Yes," she whispered. "Not that it matters anymore."

Bane watched her for a moment, contemplating his next move. "I will make a concession since this was an unexpected turn of events. Your medical examination must reveal that you were taken, but not by how many. Nor does it need to be recorded."

She met his eyes for a second before glancing away just as quickly. "What does that mean for me then?"

"It means, little one, so long as you put up no fight, that I will take you rather than subject you to my men. I fear they are more...rabid... than I."

She swallowed loudly. "I...okay. I will not fight," she said quietly, staring intently at the floor, refusing to look at him.

"Come then, young one. Let us dally no longer. I think it better to not let you dwell upon your fate," he said gently, reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder lightly. "Come, I will take you upstairs." She nodded slightly and allowed him to propel her to the elevator. They rose inexorably to the top floor and he prodded her gently into the large room the elevator opened into.

Tears began to fall when he showed her into the bedroom and she caught sight of the bed. He gently pushed her to sit on the edge. He crouched down to her level and caught her face between his large hands, wiping her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "Hush now, Miss Anna. There is no turning back anymore."

"I know," she whispered.

"I will be as gentle as I can, little one. Never before have I lain with a virgin, though I hear it is painful at first."

"Thanks for that reassurance," she said sardonically.

"I do not make a habit of lying for comfort's sake," he replied, releasing her face. She sucked in a deep breath as his hands pushed her jacket from her shoulders and swept it from the bed. She let out a soft whimper as his hands found the hem of her shirt and began to lift it. "Raise your arms, little one," he ordered quietly. She complied with no resistance and he slipped her shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor. Her arms came to cross over her bra-clad chest.

"You need to stand for just a moment," he said, lifting her slightly to tuck his thumb in the waistband of her pants and tug them down. She began to shiver with cold and fear as he gently pushed her back onto the bed so that her head rested on the pillows. She averted her eyes immediately as he slipped his own shirt over his head and drew a sharp breath as he carefully lowered himself over her.

"Hush, young one. Just get used to my weight for a moment. Breathe..." he cooed, bringing his hand up and brushing her hair back from her face. She flinched slightly before relaxing a little as his hand brushed though her hair. She whimpered as his hand went behind her back and lifted her to his chest as his fingers made quick work of the clasp of her bra and slid it out, tossing it to the floor.

His eyes did not leave her face as he lowered them back down, his chest not losing contact with hers. Her face was flushed bright red in embarrassment, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she tried to blink them back, but to no avail as he hooked his thumb in the last bit of fabric covering her from him and slid them off her legs, letting them join the rest of her clothes on the floor.

She closed her eyes as he lifted himself from her to remove the rest of his own clothing. His mask hissed as he positioned himself back over her, and her breathing began to grow erratic in terror. His hands ghosted over her breasts before coming to her thighs, which he gently pushed apart, bending her left leg out and up before settling himself between her legs.

"Shh, little one. Shush now. It will be over soon. Place your hands on my shoulders. Hold on as tight as you need to," he said lowly, trying to be reassuring. She let out a soft whimper as he began pushing into her, and give a sharp cry as he swiftly entered all the way, her hands clenching tightly onto his shoulders, tears falling down her face in her pain.

"Oh, please, it hurts so bad," she moaned pitifully.

"Shh... try to relax, young one. It will not hurt so much if you can relax," he coaxed, remaining still inside her, brushing her tears away with his thumb, his other hand brushing through her hair.

"I-I can't..." she gasped.

"Yes, you can. Breathe now," he said calmly, beginning to move slowly within her. His mask hissed as he breathed, partially drowning out Anna's soft sobs. He moved one hand to her hip, and the other palmed her breast for a moment before he placed it on the bed to support him. Gradually, her cries ceased and she just lay with her eyes closed, enduring the pain and humiliation. He made quick work of it, finishing as quickly as he could, collapsing onto her and breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly with hers. After a moment, he rolled off her to lay beside her, and she turned her back to him, huddling in on herself.

He reached out tentatively and gently stroked her back with the back of his hand. "Hush now, little Anna. It is over."

"You will kill me now?" she asked softly.

He was silent for a moment. "I will. Get dressed, Miss Anna," he said gravely, standing from the bed to clothe himself. Anna sat up to do the same, her body still shaking. Her whole body hurt. Looking back to the bed, she saw a pool of blood, proof of her shattered innocence.

"How will you do it?" she asked.

Bane looked at her, assessing her. "I will break your neck."

"Oh." Silence for several long moments. "Will it hurt?" she asked finally.

"No, little one. It will be instantaneous. You won't feel anything."

"Okay," she whispered shakily.

"Wait here. I will bring up a camera and we will finish this."

Anna waited silently as Bane left. Not once did she think of leaving. She didn't want to live as a broken woman, anyways. Bane's promise of a painless death was enticing, somewhat. She did not know how she'd die on the streets, if it would be painful or not. Might as well get it over with now. She ran her hand through her messy hair. If she was going to die, she may as well look presentable.

The door opened and Bane walked in, a plain chair in one hand and a camera in the other. He set the chair down and motioned for her sit while he adjusted the camera on the tripod, fiddling with it until it was centered on Anna. He hit the record button and walked to stand behind the chair.

"People of Gotham..."

Anna tuned out the rest of what he was saying. All she could hear was her heart beating fiercely in her ears. Her breathing was erratic, her chest heaving up and down. When Bane's hand touched her shoulders, she jumped, and came back into focus.

"Do not make the same mistake again," she heard him finish. Then his hands were on her neck and he bent down by her ear and whispered, "I'm sorry, little one."

And then she knew no more.

* * *

Bane drove his motorcycle to the only open hospital in Gotham, a blanket-wrapped shape in front of him, leaning against his chest. He dismounted his bike, carefully carrying his cargo up the steps and into the building. He marched up to the doctor on duty, grabbed him roughly by the arm, and pulled him aside.

"I have a task for you," he said in the private room, laying his bundle down on the patient table in there. "You or someone qualified are to autopsy this body and send the report and this tape to the media. I want it aired _tonight_. Am I clear?" he demanded.

"Y-yes sir, Mr. Bane, sir," the doctor stammered. "What uh... what should I say to them?"

"That it is a story of selflessness and sacrifice. Something this city desperately needs."

And with that, Bane left, his mind still on the young woman who'd so willingly gave her life, if only for a pointless cause.


End file.
